preparationIn a large skillet cook the onion and the garlic in 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil and heat it over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Add the eggplant and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until the eggplant is softened. Stir in the zucchini and the bell pepper and cook the mixture over the moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 12 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the oregano, the thyme, the coriander, the fennel seeds, the salt, and pepper to taste and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the basil and combine the mixture well. The ratatouille may be made 1 day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated before serving.

summer squash carpaccio

Directions

Thinly slice 1 yellow squash and 1 zucchini lengthwise (a mandoline works best); arrange a few slices on a plate in a single layer. Sprinkle with minced shallots and chopped mixed herbs, drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Repeat to make about 5 layers. Top with grated pecorino; let marinate for 20 minutes.

Preparation

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy 8-inch nonstick omelet pan and add the onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is very soft and sweet, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and the zucchini, and cook, stirring often, until the zucchini has wilted, about 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat.

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl and add the milk and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the onion and zucchini mixture and mix well. Clean and dry the pan.

Heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat in the omelet pan. Drop a bit of egg into the pan and if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture, scraping in every last bit with a heat-proof rubber spatula. Swirl the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with the spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking. Once a few layers of egg have cooked during the first couple of minutes of cooking, turn the heat down to low, cover and cook 7 to 10 minutes, until the frittata is puffed and just about set. From time to time remove the lid and loosen the bottom of the omelet with a wooden or heat-proof rubber spatula, tilting the pan, so that the bottom doesn’t burn. It will however turn golden.

If the frittata is still runny on the top, wearing oven mitts, slide the frittata out onto a plate or even better, a saucepan lid that has a handle, reverse the pan over the plate or lid, and holding the two together, flip the plate or lid so that the frittata goes back into the pan on its not-quite-cooked side. Finish for no longer than a minute, then reverse onto a platter. Allow to cool to room temperature, and serve, or chill. Cut into 4 wedges to serve. The wedges pack well and are very portable.

Advance preparation: The onion and zucchini filling can be made up to a day ahead. Keep uncovered in the refrigerator. Drain off any liquid that has accumulated in the bowl before stirring into eggs. The frittata will keep for 2 or 3 days.

preparation

Make soup:

Melt butter in a 6- to 8-quart wide heavy pot over moderate heat, then cook onion with salt, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add squash, carrots, potato, and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, then simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool soup, uncovered, 10 minutes.

Working in batches, purée; soup in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids) and transfer to a bowl. Return puré to cleaned pot and thin with water if desired; simmer 3 minutes. Season with salt.

Make pistou while vegetables simmer:

Pulse mint, parsley, and scallion in a food processor until finely chopped. With motor running, add oil in a stream, then add water and salt, blending until incorporated.

Swirl 1 tablespoon pistou into each bowl of soup.

Cooks' notes: •Soup (without pistou) can be made 2 days ahead and cooled, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Reheat before serving, thinning with additional water if desired.•Pistou keeps, its surface covered with plastic wrap, chilled, 3 days. Bring to room temperature before using.

Cucumber-Zucchini Soup

Ian Knauer, The Farm Cooking School

Serves 6

1 pound zucchini, chopped

3/4 pound cucumbers, peeled

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup water

1 small fresh green chile

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Zucchini flowers for garnish

Puree the zucchini, cucumbers, onion, vinegar, water, chile, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a blender unto very smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste, the serve topped with the torn zucchini flowers.

summer squash pizza

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/summer-squash-pizza-10000001816309/

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into (1/4-inch-thick) slices

1 medium yellow squash, cut lengthwise into (1/4-inch-thick) slices

Cooking spray

1 (12-inch) packaged pizza crust (such as Mama Mary's)

2 plum tomatoes, cut into (1/8-inch-thick) slices

1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely grated pecorino Romano cheese

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano

1. Prepare grill.

2. Combine oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, zucchini slices, and yellow squash slices in a large bowl, tossing gently to coat. Place squash mixture on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 2 minutes on each side or until tender.

3. Reduce grill temperature to medium.

4. Lightly coat pizza crust with cooking spray; grill 1 minute on each side or until lightly toasted. Arrange zucchini and squash over crust. Arrange tomatoes over squash; sprinkle with pecorino Romano cheese. Grill 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from grill; sprinkle with basil and oregano.

golden summer squash & corn soup

ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium shallot, chopped

2 medium summer squash, (about 1 pound), diced

3 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme or oregano, divided

1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh corn kernels, (from 1 large ear; see Tip)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

preparation

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add squash and 1 teaspoon herbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash starts to soften, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add broth and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the squash is soft and mostly translucent, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Return the soup to the pan and stir in corn. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender, 3 to 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat; stir in lemon juice. Serve garnished with the remaining 2 teaspoons herbs and feta.

1. If the peppers are to be used, preheat the broiler. Place the peppers under the broiler and roast until they are burnt on one side. Turn and roast on the other side. Continue turning until roasted all over, top and bottom. Put in a plastic bag to cool. Peel. Discard the stems and seeds. Cut the peppers into thin strips. There should be about three-quarter of a cup.

2. Trim off the ends of the zucchini. Using a swivel-bladed vegetable cutter, trim off the sides of each zucchini, leaving intervals of green to make a pattern. Cut the zucchini on the bias into quarter-inch slices. There should be about seven cups.

3. Remove the cores from the tomatoes. Cut each tomato slice about one-third inch thick.

4. Peel the onion and cut it in half crosswise. Cut each half into very thin slices. There should be about two cups. Put the onion in a heavy saucepan.

5. Add one-third cup of oil and the water to the onion. Bring to the boil and cook over relatively high heat about 10 or 12 minutes. When ready, the onion will be nicely glazed and lightly browned. Do not burn.

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

7. Spoon the onion over the bottom of an oval or rectangular baking dish (a dish that measures about 13 1/2 by 8 by 2 inches is ideal). Sprinkle the garlic and pepper strips over the onion.

8. Arrange a layer of tomatoes, letting them lean at an angle against the sides of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of zucchini against the tomatoes. Continue making layers until all the tomatoes and zucchini are used. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and the thyme. Dribble the remaining one-quarter cup of oil over all.

9. Place in the oven and bake 30 minutes. Increase the oven heat to 475 degrees and continue baking about 45 minutes. At this point the top of the vegetables will be quite dark. Press the vegetables down with a flat pancake turner. Return to the oven and continue baking 15 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Set a large 12-inch saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onions and garlic to the pan. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are wilted and lightly caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the eggplant and thyme to the pan and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is partially cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the green and red peppers, zucchini, and squash and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste, and cook for a final 5 minutes. Stir well to blend and serve either hot or at room temperature

Directions

Step 1

Preheat grill to medium-high. Arrange vegetables in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush generously with oil, and season with salt and pepper

Step 2

Grill vegetables until just tender and slightly charred: about 3 minutes for the scallions, 4 to 5 minutes per side for the squashes, and 10 minutes total for the radicchio, flipping every 2 minutes. Squeeze lemon halves over vegetables.